


Flowers and gemstones

by bansheehime



Series: The Wolfe series [3]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, High School, I'm a lil shit and procrastinating with this, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-04
Updated: 2018-10-10
Packaged: 2019-07-25 02:38:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16188347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bansheehime/pseuds/bansheehime
Summary: Sweet Pea really doesn't know what to make out of the new girl at Southside High. She's short, feisty and too much of a Northsider for his liking... Right? Apparently, no. This is how Sweet Pea finally got the guts to ask someone out and what followed. Sweet Pea/OC looking for a beta





	1. Home sweet home

**So, here's the first chapter of our longer story about Sweet Pea and Ruby. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Info:**

**Fandom:** Riverdale **  
Pairing:** Sweet Pea/OC **  
Rating:** T  
 **Updates:** Irregular **  
Word count:** 4028 (all chapters over 4k) **  
Chapter count:** 1/?  
 **Faceclaim:**  
Ruby Wolfe – India Eisley  
Jo Wolfe – Adrian Paul  
Mattie – Elle Fanning

* * *

**Home sweet home**

Sheriff Keller got up from his desk, tossed the folder he had been looking over into the drawer and pushed it closed. He then locked up all of his files securely and grabbed his phone and car keys, ready to call it a day. Riverdale was as quiet as always, with only the Southside Serpents and Ghoulies causing trouble here and there. The case he'd been working on that evening was fairly open and shut. The Serpents had gone to collect their debt with a 'client', and when the man refused to pay, they'd re-decorated his shop. It wasn't an unusual sight in Riverdale, but what troubled the Sheriff was the fact that none of his suspects had given up any names. And, that was the definition of reasonable doubt. No video, no pictures, no witnesses. The Southside Serpents knew what they were doing and their 'client' wasn't ready to talk, either.

"Sheriff?" His assistant, a blonde woman named Margery whom he vaguely remembered from his high school years, stopped him before he could leave the station. Sheriff Keller turned around. "We've got a ten sixty-four R at the old Wolfe house." The Sheriff sighed, his hand rising to rub his temples, trying to ease the tension there. He'd promised his son that he would be home early. It seemed like that wouldn't be the case that evening, as usual.

"I'll take it. Probably those kids again," the Sheriff waved goodbye to the assistant and headed out. "Goodnight, Margery. I'm heading home after I check this out." And the Sheriff was off. He got in his cruiser, turning on the lights and driving just under the speed limit towards the Wolfe property. It was located far on the east side of the small town, just across the bridge to the Northside. However, after the death of the old owners, the property had become a popular challenge for proving bravery among teens. For some reason or the other, there were more than a few stories about ghosts circling around. Sheriff Keller had heard them from his son, but hadn't paid too much attention to the details. After all, he knew that there was still one person left in the Wolfe family, the current owner of the property. Regardless of the fact that the man had left Riverdale a long time ago to join the army, the house was still his. And, the brave teens trying to prove their worth by spending the night inside the old home were trespassers.

Sheriff Keller parked his cruiser just outside of the tall gates, locking it behind him. He pushed the gates open, making them squeak as they moved. But, before the Sheriff could step inside, a loud growl came from the direction of the home, followed by barking and running paws. Sheriff Keller stepped back, slamming the gates closed just in time. A large dog ran up, massive paws reaching the height of the man's torso as it barked and snarled angrily at the Sheriff. He just stood there, for a few moments, breathing heavily and watching the canine. When he shined his flashlight on it, he saw that it was a grey Staffordshire, well cared for and looking quite angry.

"Chili! Be cool!" A girl's voice called from the porch, making the dog slink back from the iron gates, growling one last time before it trotted up to its owner. "Who is it?" The same voice called out.

"This is the police!" Sheriff Keller didn't dare open the gates again, the image of long teeth still in his mind. "You're trespassing on private property. Scram!" There was a moment of quiet, the light pooling onto the front porch as a tall figure opened the front door.

"Come in, officer!" A man's gruff voice now called out, the figure looming in the doorway. "We'll show you our papers." Then, Sheriff Keller opened the iron gates and entered, closing them behind him. The driveway was dark and a bit lumpy, making the man pick his path to the house carefully. He spotted a car right in front of the home, the trunk popped open. Once he reached the porch, the Sheriff squinted, blinking to see the identity of the two people on the porch. "Well, well. Look who became sheriff!" The looming male figure heartily laughed, hopping down the couple of steps towards him. "It's been a long time, Tom."

"Jo?" Sheriff Keller asked, finally seeing the face of the man and placing him. Joseph Wolfe had changed since the last time Tom Keller had seen him. Gone was the young boy with a messy bedhead and before him stood a well-built man, just a bit taller than him. But, despite the bulging muscles Sheriff Keller could see through the grey wife-beater shirt, there was still that easy-going grin and a dimple on the left side of the man's face, just like the Jo he remembered from high school. "Well I'll be damned! Joseph Wolfe!" And the two men shook hands, before briefly embracing. "Look at you!" Sheriff Keller was shocked, to say the least. The day Joseph had left Riverdale, it had seemed like he would never return to the small town.

"Look at you, Tommy! Proper uniform and flashlight," laughed Joseph. "Remember when you tagged that police car? What was it, again? Fu-"

"Now, now, Jo. No need to drag up ancient history," laughed the Sheriff. Jo clapped his shoulder, nodding.

"Alright, alright." The man pulled back, motioning to the young girl who still stood at the porch with the dog. "I don't believe that you've met my daughter, Ruby." The teen gave an awkward wave. "And, that's Chili. You've met him."

"Oh, I've met him." Sheriff Keller agreed with a huff, looking at the dog which was sitting next to the girl, watching him warily.

"Don't take his greeting personally. He's just a bit territorial." Joseph motioned with his arm to the entrance. "Come in for a cup of joe? Drag up some of that ancient history with me?" Sheriff Keller shook his head with a smile, but walked up the steps regardless.

"Not too long, though, Jo. I have a family to get back to."

"Oh? There's a Mrs. Keller?" And the door of the Wolfe home closed behind the two old friends, leaving the teen with her dog on the porch. She turned to the canine with a smile.

"Let's go, Chili. More boxes await."

* * *

For Ruby, mornings were a routine. Despite waking up in the living room of an unfamiliar old house, her sleeping bag right next to her father's, she rose easily and got started on her schedule. It was a Wednesday, which meant that she had a jog, some jiu-jitsu drills with her father and later in the afternoon, a date with her punching bag. But, despite the morning routine Ruby knew by heart in her head, there was another thing on her mind.

She had just moved into her father's childhood home. And, while she had done some exploring the evening before, she'd been beyond tired. So, Ruby had a large grin on her face as she tied her long hair in a tight ponytail and changed into comfortable running gear, sweats, and a white wife-beater. They had moved once more, but her father had promised that this had been the last time. This time, they were there to stay. There would be no more tossing everything she owned into boxes like a well-practiced Tetris match. There would be no more meeting the new neighbors. There would be no more greeting students as the new girl in school. And, there would be no more crying as she said goodbye to all of that. This… This was home, whatever that meant.

Ruby tied her sneakers and double checked them, chugging down some water from one of the bottles in the fridge before whistling for her dog, Chili. He bounded over, nails tapping a rhythm on the old hardwood floor of the Wolfe house, ears alert and tongue lolling happily from his mouth.

"Ready for a run, boy?" Ruby asked the dog, watching the way he perked up at the word 'run'. As Chili turned in circles around himself, jumping with eager joy, the teen spotted her father. He entered through the back door, from the yard, already slick with sweat. Ruby tossed him her water. "I'm going for a run with Chili. My phone's with me." Jo nodded.

"Don't go too far and don't get into too much trouble, kiddo." He came over, kissing Ruby's temples and ruffling her neat ponytail into a mess. She frowned, but allowed him the affectionate gesture, heading for the front door. Their old classic Mustang sat in the driveway, looking quite unassuming and very much at home. Ruby jogged past it, turning around only when she reached the front gates. Chili was hot on her heels, a bit disappointed and restless when the teen stopped, one hand on the iron handle. Ruby looked at the Wolfe family home for a moment longer.

It was an old one, that much she knew. From her father's stories, she'd learned that her great-grandfather had built it himself, inspired by the Victorian home he'd grown up in back in England. And, the influence clearly showed, even now that the house seemed more like a haunted mansion than anything. Two stories, with tall windows and sharp edges along with tower-like structures on each corner colored in dark green and black, loomed high into the sky. The round areas on the corners, though, promised a good window seat or two, which Ruby was certain she would take advantage of. The porch was white, with a space for a swing on the left that her father swore had been there in his youth. It had character, Ruby decided with a small nod. And, if there was something that the teen liked, it was things with character.

"C'mon, Chili." The iron gate opened to let out the short girl and her eager dog for their morning jog.

* * *

Ruby shook out her wet hair and paused for a second, holding her used towel. With a silent swear in her head, she went to hang it on one of the iron hooks on the back of the bathroom door. She paused again, before squinting at the hooks. The rust which had bothered her a second ago was gone, replaced with another annoying fact that would be burned in her mind forever. Each of the hooks had a wolf's head at the end, meticulously carved out of iron, snarling at her. Ruby hung her damp towel and threw her head back with a small groan.

She slipped on some clean underwear and managed to shimmy her freshly washed body into a pair of skinny jeans with little trouble. Then, Ruby headed downstairs, making a beeline for her section of the moving essentials and digging out a fresh wife-beater, this time red.

"Good, you're dressed." Jo appeared in the doorway, looking ready to go out. At his daughter's questioning gaze, he elaborated. "I was going to go look for an old friend. This house might need more work than I can handle."

"Just promise me that we will remove those awful hooks in the bathroom, and I'm in." Ruby grumbled.

"Oh, you noticed grandpa's obsession with wolves," laughed Jo. "He had his own creepy style, but it was undeniable that he had style." Ruby's glare didn't let up. "Alright, we'll replace them if they creep you out, kiddo."

"Good." Ruby whistled for Chili and the three members of the Wolfe family headed out, piling into the old Mustang. Soon enough, the teen rolled down her window, the rush of air drying her hair. The open window also scored her a merry canine in her lap, Chili's tongue lolling out of his mouth as he stuck his head out. Jo laughed as the dog slobbered happily and Ruby giggled, wiping her arm, before taking out her phone and snapping a selfie of her and the content pup.

"Hashtag slobber is cool?" The broad-shouldered man laughed.

"Hashtag my dad's annoying." Ruby countered. "I'm giving Mattie an update as promised." The phone let out a telltale popping sound as the image uploaded over WhatsApp. Ruby gazed lazily at the scenery passing by. Slowly, the large properties with big yards became huddled suburban houses with pastel colored doors and walls. Then, as Jo turned numerous corners, the car slowed down and finally parked in front of a nice-looking white home.

"Here we are," sighed Jo, staring out at the home nostalgically. "Gosh, it's been  _ages_." He stepped out, Ruby following, leaving the windows open for Chili. The duo walked up to the home, Jo ringing the bell once and stepping back. Footsteps sounded, followed by a male voice yelling that he was coming. Then, the door swung open. The man standing there was wearing a flannel shirt and loose jeans, a scruff of a beard on his chin. But, his eyes looked young, vivacious.

"Hello," the man greeted. "How can I help you?"

"Hey, Fred," Jo greeted in his deep voice. "Long time." The man's, Fred's, eyes blew wide and his mouth opened a few times, no sound coming out. Then, he stepped outside, grasping Jo into a tight hug.

"Oh my God!" Exclaimed Fred, pulling back with a wide grin. He held Jo's shoulders for a moment longer, as if trying to figure out if the tall man was real, before pulling him back in for another hug. "Joseph Wolfe! On my doorstep!" Fred laughed loudly, shaking his head. "I thought you were never coming back!"

"Plans change." Jo replied with a small smile of his own, nodding at Ruby. She offered an awkward wave from her spot on the porch.

"Oh my!" Fred focused on her then. "Your daughter?"

"Ruby Wolfe, sir." Ruby introduced herself.

"Fred Andrews," The man extended his hand, shaking hers in a firm grip. "I knew your old man back in the day," Fred explained, his friendly grin never leaving his features. "Come in, both of you." Then, he turned before he could enter the house again. "You  _do_  have time for some coffee, don't you?"

"Always," Jo entered the home after their host. "I also need a bit of an update on the town gossip." Fred laughed, waving the both of them in.

* * *

It turned out that Fred Andrews was Jo's old friend from high school. He was also the owner of a construction company and he had a son who was Ruby's age. All in all, the teen was semi-bored, half-listening to the old stories from her father's high school days. They had talked about a number of people she wasn't familiar with, touching on the topic of Fred's wife, her own mother and Jo's career in the army. Finally, after a few hours, the front door opened and in came a handsome boy with red hair in a blue and yellow shirt.

"Hey, dad," He greeted, before looking at their guests questioningly. Fred immediately stood from their kitchen table.

"Son, this is Jo, my old buddy from high school," introduced the construction company owner. "And, this is Ruby, his daughter. They just moved back into the Wolfe house."

"The haunted one?" Asked the redhead, looking between the two as if they didn't seem the type to buy a property like that.

"Fiction, I hope," Jo laughed, standing up and extending his hand. "The property's been in the family for generations. If there are a few ghosts in the attic, they're family." The teen shook Jo's hand, grinning at the joke.

"Archie Andrews, nice to meet you." The boy seemed polite, Ruby decided. She wouldn't mind hanging out with him, unless he was like the boys she'd seen before – polite in front of parents and disrespectful as soon as anyone over eighteen vanished. Archie was looking at her then, extending his hand. She shook it.

"Ruby," The girl supplied. He had a strong, firm handshake and she decided that she liked that. "You go to South High?" She asked.

"Oh, no, I'm at Riverdale," Archie replied, pointing to the crest of his T-shirt. "Go bulldogs." Ruby tilted her head to the side, lips pursed.

"There are two high schools here?" She asked. The two men wandered to the sink, talking in hushed, rumbling tones about business as the teens got acquainted.

"Yeah, Riverdale High and Southside High. There's also a few more, but they're all in different counties," Archie explained. "It's a bit of a trip to get there. Where will you be going? The Wolfe house is pretty much in the middle, so…" Ruby nodded.

"I think I'm enrolling in South High," she told the boy. "My dad went there, so I figured I would, too." Archie made an odd expression, something between a wince and a shrug.

"Be careful, then," he said. "There are some nasty rumors going around about South High. Drugs, gangs, you know?"

"I'm a big girl." Ruby grinned with a shrug of her own. Archie let out an easy laugh and motioned with his head towards the stairs.

"Want to go up and play some games while the parental supervision talks business?" Now, that, Ruby was eager to do.

"Sure!" And Archie led her up the stairs and to his room.

* * *

Ruby was exhausted by the time evening arrived. Between meeting the Andrews men and training with her father, she'd barely had the strength to clean up the room she'd chosen for herself a bit. The teen had also carried some of her boxes up, settling them in front of the door in the hallway, because she still wanted to change the old carpet, or at least wash it. But, according to Jo, the room would be ready for her to completely move in by the end of the week.

He had worked out a deal with Fred to get some work done on the house, professionally. The Andrews would arrive the next morning and they would get started with the roof, which Jo had found had a few holes in it. Hence, he wanted it fixed before the rains started in September, which was less than two months away. Ruby was dreading the next day, though, as the movers would also arrive with the bulk of their belongings, and she didn't doubt that she would be in charge of that task. It would be like weight lifting, only with stairs navigation. Though, she hoped that she could rope Archie, her first friend at Riverdale, into helping her out. The boy had admitted, in between their numerous rounds of Tekken, that he didn't enjoy working with his father too much.

Ruby headed downstairs after a quick shower, but not before skillfully placing odd things on each of the dreadful wolf heads that acted as hooks in the bathroom to hide them. She found her father conked out in his sleeping bag already and snuggled into hers, dialing a familiar number on her cell over facetime. Soon enough, the call was picked up.

"Hey, superwoman!" The camera cleared up and focused on the other side, showing a familiar midnight sky painted on the ceiling, complete with glow-in-the-dark stars, before it shifted to show Ruby's friend's face. "How's it going, girl?" Mattie, as always, seemed overly energetic.

"Hey, Mattie-pie," Ruby greeted with a small, tired smile. She had met Mattie at her first day of freshman year, three schools ago. But, despite the fact that Ruby had known her for only two months in class, they had stayed good friends afterwards. Facetiming was a thing and the two girls exchanged hundreds of texts, pictures and videos every day. Distance, and there were quite a few miles between them, didn't seem to matter. "Just getting ready to crash. Exhausting day."

"You'd think the Wolfe power duo would be used to moving by now, huh?" Mattie laughed, shaking her head. "Tell me everything! How's the house? Is it creepy? What about the neighborhood? Have you gone to see the new school yet?" If there was one thing which Ruby loved about Mattie, it was that the girl could always hold a conversation. Even when Ruby had had a bad day, making her grumpy and quiet, her friend could chatter about silly things and keep the girl from falling into one of her moods when she tended to overtrain.

"The house is pretty cool. It's just like dad described, all Victorian and old-school," Ruby sighed tiredly but kept smiling as she talked. "I think it'll look nice once we're finished with it. But, for now, it has creepy wolf heads all over. Can you believe it, there are iron wolf heads as hooks in the bathroom? First thing I'm taking down, care bear." Mattie laughed heartily.

"I want pictures before you do!" The excited girl on the other end of the line rolled over so that she was lying on her bed, phone up in the air. Ruby caught a glimpse of the sheets she knew well, from Nightmare Before Christmas, and the nightstand Mattie had painted to look like three trunks ready to be shipped to Hogwarts. "Even better, send me one."

"Suuure," Ruby drawled sarcastically, but she knew that she would probably do just that. Mattie was a bit of an oddball. And, she liked collecting different out-of-the-box items. Something about misfits sticking together. "The town seems okay. It's small and quiet, nothing like Annapolis," Ruby continued. "I met only a few of dad's friends. Oh, and one of them has a son our age, Archie. He's pretty cute."

"Oooooh! Boy next door!" Mattie giggled, making Ruby chuckle, too.

"More like, boy on the other side of the town." Laughed the teen. Then, a large yawn broke on her face, making her squint.

"Alright, lights out for you, superwoman," Mattie spoke in a softer tone. "I expect pictures of this other town side boy tomorrow." And back was the peppy voice Ruby knew and loved.

"Yes, ma'am." And the call cut off. Ruby exited the app on her phone to save battery and locked the screen, leaving her in complete darkness. But, when she listened, eyes closed, she could tell that it wasn't the kind of darkness where she was alone. Jo's soft snores were coming in a steady rhythm from his camping bag. Chili's nails were scraping the floor as he ran in his sleep, twitching his paws and letting out soft whines which Ruby knew were his dream barks. But, more importantly, the house wasn't eerily quiet.

There was a window somewhere, probably in the attic, which swayed with the air draft, thumping against the frame rhythmically. The warm summer breeze, let into their new home intentionally, seemed to play the empty hallways like a fiddle. A whistle here, a whoosh there, the breeze wound its way through the Wolfe home before leaving, like a playful uninvited guest. Through the closest open window, a thing Jo and Ruby had agreed not to close because of the dust, the teen could hear the nocturnal creatures making their way around the garden.

The Wolfe House was located near the Fox Forest and close to the Sweetwater River, making the nightlife of the residents outside quite loud. There were cicadas that Ruby could hear clearly, right under her window. A telltale croak of a frog, sounding from time to time, which creeped her out a bit. Birds, calling to each other in the woods just a few hundred meters from the house. The faint sound of the river rushing past their property and into the Fox Forest. Altogether, unlike the car-filled street under her old bedroom window, the Wolfe home had a different kind of noise. But, after lying in the dark, listening for a while, Ruby decided that she preferred these kinds of sounds over the honking of angry drivers.

So, she closed her eyes and slowly sleep claimed her, into silly dreams of levitating moving boxes, giant croaking frogs and wolf heads on door handles that tried to bite her fingers off.

* * *

**Let me know how you liked it!**


	2. I've got friends on the Southside

**Thank you for all the support and enjoy the ride!**

* * *

**Info:**

**Rating:**  T **  
Word count:** 4127 (all chapters over 4k)  
 **Chapter count:** 2/? ****  
Faceclaim:  
Ruby Wolfe – India Eisley  
Jo Wolfe – Adrian Paul  
Mattie – Elle Fanning  
Lucas Bradshaw – Lucas Till

**Yes, I'm a total Disney nerd with this title, bear with me hahaha**

* * *

**I've got friends on the Southside**

"Honey, the movers are here!" At the sound of her father's voice, Ruby abandoned her previous task of attempting to clean a huge wooden wardrobe in the master bedroom. She flew down the stairs, jumping the last four or so, her ponytail swishing behind her. There was a telltale sound of Chili's paws on the hardwood floor before the grey Staffordshire raced along the driveway, throwing himself threateningly onto the iron fence.

"I'm here!" Ruby yelled, hurrying for the gates. "Chili! Be cool!" There was a white moving truck there, with a large colorful logo on the side, telling everyone that they were Maryland movers. Ruby swung both sides of the gate open, letting the van in, as Chili ran around her legs, still disgruntled. The man driving tipped his white ball-cap at her, the movers' logo clear on it. Ruby led the way, motioning for the van to park on the other side of Fred Andrews' truck.

"Wolfe family?" Asked the driver, hopping out and slamming the door behind him. It squeaked horribly, making Ruby wince.

"Ruby Wolfe," she confirmed with a nod. "I've been left to manage this party." She grinned at the man.

"Tim, from Maryland Moving and Storage," the ball-cap wearing man introduced himself. "Where do you want the boxes, Miss?" Two more men exited the truck while they were talking.

"We'll get them settled in the lobby and the dining room, and carry the furniture that should go into the bedrooms upstairs, if that's alright?" Tim nodded, waving to his crew, before following Ruby inside. "So, the boxes go here," she showed the area which she had cleared earlier that day to the man. Chili padded along with them, before deciding that they weren't interesting enough after sniffing the newcomers. He ran towards the attic next, seeking out Jo and Fred. "And there," Ruby pointed to the space right through a pair of double sliding doors. She had roped Archie into giving her a hand before their fathers could start working. The two teens had struggled to push, pull and carry the huge dining room table to the side, pressing it against the wall and freeing up space for more boxes. "We can place the breakables on the table and the bulkier things under it, if they can fit."

"Sounds good," Tim nodded. "Let's get started, boys." He told his crew, waving them over.

"Oh, I'll help, too, if that's alright?" Ruby was quick to offer, heading after the group. Tim gave her a dubious look, but agreed to let her help, seemingly to humor her.

* * *

Tim and his crew, Andy and Greg, turned out to be a fairly nice company. They were quite surprised to see Ruby haul her first huge box, filled with clothes, up the front steps, and into the dining area. From there on, though, the young girl had become an honorary member of their crew. They had even supplied her with a white ball-cap, a signature look for the workers of the company. Greg was, however, definitely the one who was most fond of her. Apparently, he had a daughter who was similar to the teen, and he missed her horribly now that she was away at college.

The morning passed in cleaning, hauling, and some more heavy lifting for Ruby. The movers were quick and efficient, and soon enough, she was giving them cash for the service, along with a generous tip, before waving goodbye at the gates. By that time, Jo and Fred had come down from the attic, followed by Archie. They were all sweaty and covered in dirt and cobwebs, looking rather hungry.

"Shall we order some pizza?" Ruby asked the men, passing them all cooled water bottles from the fridge. Archie seemed to perk up instantly, a loud growl coming from his stomach. The two men looked at the teen, laughing.

"Alright," Jo agreed with a nod. "Is there still a Hut on Southside?" He asked, turning to Fred.

"Yeah, and they deliver." Agreed the construction company owner. Ruby took out her phone, Googling the number quickly.

"Toppings?" She asked, leaning onto the kitchen table, preparing to type in their order. It took less than thirty minutes for Chili to run out of the home, torpedoing for the front gates and startling the delivery boy, who almost dropped the precious cargo he'd been carrying.

"So, what prompted this move back to Riverdale?" Fred asked conversationally as they all sat on the porch steps, eating in the warm June sun. Jo gave a shrug, swallowing.

"I decided it was time for something after the army," he replied. Ruby found herself listening intently, hoping that her father's old friend could pull some army stories out of him. If there was one thing that Jo never talked to her about, it was his time overseas as a Navy SEAL. He spoke of his team members often, as they were practically family. But, other than that, his time in the service was a mystery. A mystery she wanted to know about. "Ruby needed a stable place to finish high school, too. Riverdale was the perfect choice."

"Low crime rate, you've got a house here, I get it," Fred nodded. "What about your wife? Is she moving here, too?" Ruby almost dropped her pizza slice. Archie leaned in, listening. Jo's eyes found Ruby's and he let out a small sigh.

"No," her father had never shied away from the topic of her mother, no matter how painful it got. "Lisa's in Afghanistan. Third tour."

"Oh." The conversation died out for a few seconds, Fred eating his pizza awkwardly. He had realized that he'd opened a can of worms.

"We Skype," Jo elaborated. "Never married, but we consider ourselves a couple." He laughed, trying to diffuse the tension. "Not for my lack of trying, either."

"You got rejected, what, three times?" Ruby laughed then, remembering the stories of her father's failed proposals. This seemed to interest Fred quite a bit.

"Well, Jo here never was good with the ladies," he turned to Ruby, much to her glee. "In junior year, he liked this girl, what was her name again?" Jo groaned.

"Margery." He supplied.

"She was the pretty blonde one, right?" Fred asked, chuckling.

"Hell on heels." Jo nodded.

"I remember you trying to ask her to Pop's and tripping in front of her, spilling your lunch all over her dress." Ruby laughed, throwing her head back, along with Archie and Fred, while Jo seemed to try and vanish into the ground. "She was furious."

"Well, as far as I can recall, you weren't doing well with Darla at that time, either." Jo tried to save his dignity by firing a warning shot right back. Fred instantly stopped laughing.

"Darla?" Archie smugly piped up from his seat on the top step.

"Not important." Fred tried to brush his son off, but the seeds had already been planted.

"Is that the one with the large lips from your yearbook?" Archie asked, making Ruby giggle uncontrollably. "With the lipstick kiss on her message at the beginning?" Jo's laughter was as loud as it could get.

"Oh, yeah," he confirmed. "Darla loved her lipstick. She still around?" Fred shrugged.

"I'm not sure. I think that she married and went out of state," he mused. "But Margery is working for Tom, if you want to catch up?"

"Touché." Jo groaned.

* * *

Ruby fell into an easy routine over the following few days. She cleaned, repaired or tossed out the furniture and items from the old Wolfe home during the day. Sometimes, Archie managed to escape his father and help her. Those hours were spent in gossiping about different people who lived in Riverdale, most of them from the Northside. Ruby had learned that there was a segregation between the north and the south part of the small town. The former was mostly an affluent neighborhood with law-abiding citizens who went about their daily business quietly, careful of what their neighbors would think of their actions. From Archie's stories, it sounded like the area where she'd lived back in Maryland.

Ruby had been introduced, through numerous stories, to Betty Cooper, a childhood friend, and girl next door. Apparently, a Nancy Drew fan and the smartest person Archie knew. Also, she learned about a person named Jughead, whose odd nickname she was still trying to get used to. He was Archie's best friend and the man to find if you needed to know the ins and outs of both sides of the town. Also, Ruby had heard about numerous other teens that went to Riverdale High. But, Archie proved as a poor source of information when it came to South High.

He had told her what he knew, though. Most of the kids who went there were in gangs, had poor grades and weren't interested in popular sports. Archie had warned her about being out after dark on the other side of the tracks, saying that there were always Serpents out looking for trouble on the streets. He'd even made Ruby promise not to be reckless and seek them out, noticing her curious look. And, Archie had made absolutely certain that she wouldn't go to a place called the Whyte Wyrm, which made her even more interested since it was apparently off-limits. But, he'd promised to show her the Twilight Drive-In, a fairly safe place, where she could still spot the supposedly troublesome gangsters in a semi-safe environment.

Mattie was eager to chat, usually over facetime, and get a tour of Ruby's new home. She had been ecstatic to see the dreadful wolf heads, which Ruby had found on almost every possible surface in the house. And, Mattie had made the teen promise that she would let at least a few of them survive the rigorous clean-up. Ruby had to admit, the odd decoration, while still slightly morbid, was growing on her. In her room, on the first floor of the house, they had been exterminated, though. Ruby had managed to fix up the space rather nicely in her opinion, getting Mattie's stamp of artistic approval and plenty of advice.

Now, the walls were colored in a nice shade of blue, called Sweet Teal according to the paint can. Coupled with the iron bed frame, now white, and the nightstands from her old room, it all looked very nice. Ruby had even re-painted the old wardrobe white, making it seem like something out of a vintage magazine. Altogether, she was glad to start working on making the space in front of her large window a comfortable seat. And, most importantly, Ruby was happy to set up her new mattress and sleep in a proper bed. While she didn't have anything against camping in a sleeping back next to Jo in the living room, he snored. Being her rabbit self and shooting up at any loud sound, she'd woken during the odd hours of the morning all too often when he'd choke a bit on his spit or air during the night.

But, what Ruby enjoyed the most about her new home was the discovery that she'd made about the property. The Wolfe family owned a few acres of land, which ran all the way down to Sweetwater River. There, her great-grandfather had made a small hut and walkway extending in an L shape along the land and slightly into the lazy water. It was the perfect spot for a young teenage girl to set up a towel and work on her tan during summer. But, Ruby wasn't just any young teenage girl. She'd cleaned the wooden walkway and the small hut, tossing the unusable items and re-purposing the rest. After polishing the floors carefully, she had her own escape from the summer heat. So, while her father worked on the house with Fred, Ruby had spent a number of afternoons messing around in the water or playing cards on the walkway with Archie. She was almost sad because they wouldn't be going to school together. But, remembering her father's tales about South High, which he had transferred to in his sophomore year, she knew that Archie wouldn't be able to change her mind, no matter how hard he tried. Ruby would be a proud member of Southside High, as soon as the school year started.

Speaking of the school, she'd called in, arranging her transfer with minimal help from Jo. He'd signed all the papers and allowed the girl to work out the kinks with her old school and the new one. All that was left was to pay the building a visit and take a look around. Which was what Ruby was getting ready for. She'd dressed as appropriately as possible, in a pair of dark jeans and a fairly fancy shirt, before leaving her hair down and grabbing the keys from the counter. Having turned sixteen that summer, she had her driver's permit and navigated the old Mustang with ease.

"I'm going to check out the school, dad," Ruby called out to the kitchen, where Fred, Jo, and Archie were pouring over some plans for the house.

"Do you need back-up?" Jo asked, head perking up from the blueprints.

"I'll take Chili." She nodded, ignoring the frown on Archie's face.

"Stay safe, hun." With a wave, Ruby left the house, whistling for Chili to follow her. She heard Fred's concerned tone as he spoke to her father about the choice of high school for her, but didn't pay any mind to it. She preferred to see things for herself first, and then make up her mind. In the end, Riverdale High was there if she wanted to transfer.

Chili was very happy to ride shotgun, his head lolling out the open window, as Ruby navigated the unfamiliar streets of Riverdale, blasting the radio. It was tuned to a pop station, playing the latest hits, which she never could resist singing along to. Her GPS led her across the bridge of Sweetwater River and into the south part of the small town. Ruby immediately noticed the change in the atmosphere. The Southside, like Archie had told her, wasn't a suburban neighborhood. The buildings were mostly old and looked like they hadn't been renovated in years. But, there were a number of stores open, people milling about, minding their own business. Ruby spotted more than a few locals with visible tattoos, chains on their pants and odd-colored hair. Altogether, the neighborhood seemed interesting.

Southside High had a small parking lot to the right of the building where she left her car, windows cracked open for Chili's comfort. He had curled up on the passenger's seat comfortably, ready to obey the command to wait for his mistress. Ruby hopped up the front steps, entering the school. Instantly, she knew why Archie wasn't a fan of the place. There were graffiti tags everywhere, metal detectors at the door and the hallways seemed dark, despite the summer afternoon. The school gave off a vibe, but it didn't bother Ruby. It had character. And, she liked things with character.

The teen located the teachers' lounge and offices with only a bit of trouble, a little surprised to find a secretary behind a desk there. The woman seemed bored, chewing on gum and filing her nails.

"Excuse me, I'm Ruby Wolfe," the young girl caught her attention with a polite smile. "I've got an appointment with principal Matthews?" The secretary looked up at her, eyeliner-lined eyes bored.

"Through there," she instructed. "He's in his office because of summer classes." Ruby nodded and headed there, thanking the woman. She didn't receive a reply, though. After knocking on the door which spelled out the principal's name, Ruby was called in.

"Good afternoon, principal Matthews," greeted the teen. "I'm Ruby Wolfe."

"Welcome, Miss Wolfe," the principal stood from behind his desk, sliding his glasses off. He was a fairly short man, slowly balding, in a retro suit with a brown pattern which seemed to clash with his colorful button-down. He looked positively exhausted. "Please, sit." Principal Matthews shook Ruby's hand in a sweaty grip and motioned for the sole chair in front of his desk. She lowered herself into it, finding it very uncomfortable. There was a spring loose somewhere on the left side.

"I wanted to come by and see the school, as well as check if my papers have come through?" Ruby politely said, taking the chance to look around the office as soon as the principal was occupied with his computer.

"Of course, we're happy to have you, Miss Wolfe," the balding man told her while clicking away on his keyboard and mouse. "This is quite the record you've got here," principal Matthews looked over her transcripts for a moment. "Why so many transfers in a single school year?" Ruby had been expecting that question.

"My father is a Navy SEAL, sir," then, she remembered. "Well, at least he was until a month ago. He got honorably discharged and is now looking for work in the private sector. We used to move base to base a lot so that he could teach the new recruits." Principal Matthews gave her a nod.

"I see, please thank your father for his service on my behalf," he remarked and continued speaking after Ruby nodded. "Well, I will give you the list of possible classes and leave you to book yourself in before they fill up. You can do this online, of course. Shall I give you a tour of the school, or would you prefer a peer tour guide?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly trouble you, sir," Ruby quickly waved her hands in front of herself, feeling awkward. Due to her father's profession, humility and respect towards her elders had been drilled into her at a young age. It had been demanded from her, and Ruby took pride in honoring her father's wishes by obeying those unspoken rules about home-drilled manners. "A student tour guide would be perfect."

"Alright," principal Matthews looked relieved if anything. "Let me see who is in summer classes." He typed away on the computer keyboard once more, using only his forefingers and practically stabbing it with them. Ruby held back her grin at the sight. She'd seen her grandpa do the same thing more than once. "Nora!" The teen winced at the loud tone. Soon enough, the door of the office opened and the bored-looking secretary poked her head in.

"Yes?" She was still chewing gum rather loudly.

"Would you call for Lucas Bradshaw to give Miss Wolfe a tour around the school?" Principal Matthews asked, now abandoning his computer in favor of some documents on his desk. Nora didn't reply, but simply exited, leaving the door open behind her. Ruby took this as an invitation to follow.

"It was very nice meeting you, sir." She told the principal. The man looked up, locking eyes with her through his glasses.

"Likewise, Miss Wolfe. Stay out of trouble." And Ruby exited the office, closing the door behind her. As she was walking over to the secretary's counter, she heard Nora's bored tone over the loud intercom, crackling.

"Lucas Bradshaw, come to the principal's office." Nora was leaning back in her chair, a single finger pressed on the intercom speaker button. "Lucas Bradshaw, to the principal's office." The secretary then let go of the com and returned to her previous position at the desk, picking up her phone and scrolling through something. Ruby got the memo easily. The young woman didn't want to be disturbed. So, the teen leaned against the counter, pulling her own cell phone out and checking the time. She still had at least thirty minutes before Chili decided that he was bored in the car and went for an unsupervised walk about.

"Nora, you called?" There was a boy at the entrance to the teacher's offices. He was blond, a bit taller than Ruby and had a wiry frame. Though, what really caught the girl's attention were the Dr. Martens on his feet, despite the hot summer, as well as the clearly punk style of his clothing, complete with a plaid shirt and numerous piercings. However, when one disregarded his unfortunate styling choice, even with all the black eyeliner, Lucas Bradshaw was rather handsome. In that, 'boy from the wrong side of the tracks' way. Kind of like a bass player in a rock band.

"Matthews assigned you to do a peer tour for the new student," Nora said in her usual monotone, not taking her eyes off the phone screen. Ruby gave an awkward wave when the boy's eyes flew to her.

"Alright, come with me," Lucas had a nice tone of voice, something in a tenor and slightly raspy. But, even though he sounded mildly bored, Ruby noticed the way his eyes had perked up at the sight of her and how his mouth had quirked to the side. "I'm Lucas, junior year. But, most people call me Silvertongue." The boy told her.

"Ruby Wolfe, sophomore. Most people call me new girl." She shot back, watching the way Lucas' mouth quirked up into a large grin.

"Alright, new girl, snappy. I like it," he laughed. "Where're you transferring from?" He took a left, leading her down a corridor she hadn't been in before.

"Annapolis High, Maryland. I just moved here." Ruby's eyes traced the numerous graffiti along the walls. She had noticed a common theme of snakes and zombies, like they were battling each other over different parts of corridors.

"Nice," Lucas told her. "Those are gang tags," he elaborated, seeing Ruby's curious look. "There are two major gangs here, Southside Serpents and The Ghoulies. You learn to pick a side quickly, or you get gobbled up in the middle."

"I see," the girl nodded. "I have no plans on joining a gang, though." Lucas shrugged.

"Not everyone here is in a gang. You just pick a side. Sit with one at lunch and you're pretty much okay, even if you don't pledge," Lucas slowed down as they reached a hallway filled with lockers, also tagged in different graffiti. "Here are the lockers, you'll get yours at the beginning of the year with Nora. I suggest tagging it with something, so that it doesn't get broken into when someone needs more space for themselves," he explained. "This is mine, feel free to drop me a note if you need anything when school starts." Lucas pointed at the black locker door with a silver tongue sticking out of a gaping mouth drawn on it.

"Thanks." Ruby's brows furrowed, but she chose to keep the option in the back of her head.

"Sophomore lockers are over there," Lucas pointed down the hall to a row of washed-out grey metal doors. "Classrooms are pretty straightforward, the teacher names are on plaques above them and you have the numbers, too, if you get lost," Ruby nodded, noting one. It had a number and a name on it in red letters on a black rectangle. "We don't have Wi-Fi, the computer lab is crap and I don't suggest trying to flush the toilet." Lucas turned to her and made a scrunched-up expression of distaste. "That is, if you don't want to flood the school with… stuff."

"Oh God," Ruby laughed, shaking her head. "How'd that come to be?" Lucas grinned.

"Some idiot tried to blow them up a few years ago and the guys they hired for repairs just plain fucked up the job. Now it's a sanitation hazard. Come on," the boy led the way down a corridor to their right, showing her some of the common sophomore classrooms. "If you're looking to join a club or a school team, you've got limited choices. There's an art club and a music one, and we mostly don't do sports. There used to be a wrestling club some time ago, though. The school newspaper, the Red and Black, has been shut down for a while, too," when he saw her interested gaze, he added. "Lack of interest."

"Okay," Ruby nodded. "Well, what is there to do as an extracurricular here, then?"

"Chemistry lab in the basement, if you're brave. I do that one. Though, you have to get a teacher to sign off on it," Lucas told her. "Let me show you the caf-" The shrill ring of the school bell interrupted him and the junior waited, an annoyed look on his attractive face. "-eteria. Buy school food at your own risk, though. I suggest a packed lunch," There were doors slammed here and there, the sounds of chairs being pushed back shrieking through the hallway. "C'mon, before the hounds are unleashed." Lucas grabbed Ruby's hand and pulled her along, hurrying.

* * *

**That's all for now, folks!**

**My thanks goes out to Sweetpeaj and Vulvarity as well as the guest who left kudos on the story.**

* * *

**I'm looking forward to hearing what you guys thought of this one :D**


	3. Jobs and sass

**I'm glad to see that you guys are enjoying yourselves with this :D I hope that this chapter is going to be as fun for you as it was for me to write :)**

* * *

**Info:**

**Rating:**  T  
 **Word count:**  4363  
 **Chapter count:**  3/?  
 **Faceclaim:**  
Ruby Wolfe – India Eisley  
Jo Wolfe – Adrian Paul  
Mattie – Elle Fanning  
Lucas Bradshaw – Lucas Till  
Leviathan 'Levi' - Emjay Anthony

* * *

**Jobs and sass**

They had barely made it into the empty cafeteria before two dozen students poured in behind them. The area seemed rather wild to Ruby at first glance, divided into a few different sections with an iron fence with gates. She was briefly reminded of an animal shelter she used to volunteer at back in Annapolis and frowned, wrinkling her nose.

"Hey, Silver," A tall boy with a mop of curly dark hair came over, slapping Lucas on the back. "Who's the chick?" Ruby found herself holding her ground, though she would've preferred standing behind her tour guide. But, her instincts told her that if she backed away now, she would be prey for the rest of her time at this high school. And, the Wolfe family were never prey.

"New sophomore, I'm showing her around." Replied Lucas easily. He turned to Ruby, motioning with his head to his friend.

"Ruby Wolfe." The girl introduced herself, offering her hand. The curly haired boy laughed, but accepted it, shaking it in a strong grip. He was dressed similarly to Lucas, like he'd just hopped out of a punk band's gig. Dark skinny jeans, hanging chains and a tattoo on his arm, large and clearly visible. It depicted some kind of a mythological beast, similar to a snake.

"Levi," he introduced himself back with an easygoing grin. "Like the Leviathan." Levi elaborated, showing off the tattoo which covered almost his whole forearm. Ruby looked from him to Lucas.

"Does everyone here have odd nicknames?" The two boys shared a look at her dubious tone and laughed.

"Pretty much," Lucas explained and waved them all over to a table in the middle of the cafeteria. "They're mostly gang nicknames and people tend to take pride in them, preferring them over their real names."

"I see," Ruby nodded, which made the two boys share an amused look as they all sat down. "I'll get used to it eventually, I suppose." She shrugged.

"Has Silver shown you all the ins and outs yet?" Levi asked, looking around as he straddled the bench. There was a group of students heading for the other side of the fence, as if segregating themselves from the rest of their peers. Some went towards the doors in the back, leaving the cafeteria and walking into the summer sun.

"I think I've got all the info I need for now," Ruby nodded. Lucas seemed to beam from his spot. "I'm going to head out, if that's alright? I've still got some errands to run."

"Of course," Lucas nodded. "Take care, Ruby. I'll see you in August?" Ruby turned as she was leaving, offering them both a smile and small wave.

"Definitely!" And, the girl followed another group of students towards the back door, leaving the school halls. She exited on the other side, the small parking lot to her right and the main entrance even further that way, after taking another right at the corner. There was a group of students with green snake logos on their jackets walking in front of her, and Ruby shamelessly followed them.

Soon enough, she reached the parking, spotting her car. The leather-clad group of teens settled down on the steps that led down to the lot, taking out some snacks and spreading them in the middle of the circle. Ruby wondered how they weren't cooking in those leather jackets. It was too hot for those. She looked up, seeing a few more groups sitting in their own spots. Five students were near her car, talking and laughing, passing some kind of a small ball between them with only their feet. She made a mental note to try and avoid them when she went to her vehicle. They were too loud for her liking.

Luck wasn't in her favor that day, apparently. Ruby passed the group on the steps that ignored her and headed for her car only to hear a catcall from the loud boys with the ball. With a glance at them, she saw one of them making a crude motion with his hips, before sending her an air kiss. Ruby chose to ignore that and headed for the driver's side of her car. But, luck was definitely not in her favor.

"Why're you in such a hurry, Northie?" The boy who'd catcalled appeared in her path, cutting her off from her car. From the Archie book of Riverdale trivia, she'd gathered that the nickname was supposed to be demeaning. Had she really dressed too fancy that day? She would need some more leather and chains, then. The boy in front of her was taller than her and had more muscle on him, but she knew that that didn't mean anything in a one on one fight. She could take him, if it came down to it.

"Yeah, stick around Northsider. We'll show you a good time." Now, there was a body behind her, the heat transferring to her back from how close the student was. Ruby looked over her shoulder to see that it was the one who'd blown her the air kiss. The other three from the group were also stalking forward, abandoning their ball.

"I'd advise you, from the bottom of my cold heart, to get out of my way." Ruby's tone had a warning to it, but it just made the boys laugh. By then, almost everyone in the parking lot was looking at them, waiting to see how the scene would unfold.

"Northie's got spunk!" The boy in front of her came closer, his hands going for her hips. In an instant, Ruby moved, pulling out the familiar rectangular object from the back pocket of her jeans. She had been reluctant to take it with her, but she was glad that she had. Just in case.

A buzzing noise rang throughout the parking lot and the boy in front of her fell to the ground, shaking with the aftershock of being tasered. There was a moment of silence, before the remaining for boys moved in on her quickly. The one behind her grabbed her arms, successfully preventing her from using her taser again. Though, Ruby didn't only have that to protect herself with. She let out a whistle, which was followed by a loud bark.

Chili threw himself out the open window of her car, sleek body rushing towards her with a loud growl. Instantly, the boys backed off, frightened expressions on their faces. Chili's teeth were bared and his eyes were going from one to the other teen. They had bothered his mistress.

"Chili, be cool," Ruby instructed, petting his head when he nuzzled into her knee. "Yeah, I don't think I'm going to see a good time with you guys anytime soon," she told the four teens who were watching the large Staffordshire warily. "I like my men with a little more backbone." And Ruby walked away with Chili hot on her heels, ignoring the laughter and cheering coming from the other students in the parking lot.

* * *

"Hey, dad! I'm back," Ruby greeted in a loud voice, entering the home and heading for the kitchen to wash her hands and make some coffee. She felt a little groggy after her exploration of the school. "Want some coffee?!"

"Sure," Jo's voice startled her, coming from the doorway to the living room. She had expected him to be upstairs, in the attic, fixing the roof with Fred and Archie. "How was the school?"

"It was… interesting," Ruby laughed and he chuckled along. "Where are the Andrews?"

"Fred got a job and had to bail," Jo sighed, leaning back onto the kitchen table. "I get it, that job's more lucrative and gives him work for the rest of the summer." Ruby poured the coffee, adding cream and sugar to hers. She placed the two cups, obviously meant for tea back in the day, on the table. They were white and decorated with a dark green forest all around the rim.

"We can push a little harder and get it done ourselves, no?" She asked, watching her father take a small sip of his coffee, before sighing.

"I think it's time I went to the Wyrm and saw if they wanted some legit work." Jo grumbled, as if surrendering to the inevitable.

"The Whyte Wyrm?" Ruby asked curiously. "Isn't that a gang headquarters or something?" Jo laughed.

"It's a bar. But, yeah, it doubles as the Southside Serpents' base of operations," the man told her. "They are a rowdy bunch, but they do take a lot of legit jobs on the side for extra cash. If they're interested, it could be a good way to get all of that ruined stuff down from the attic and fix up some of the furniture down here." Ruby nodded.

"If you think that's a good idea, I'm fine with it."

* * *

Jo returned home in the afternoon with half a dozen leather-wearing men on motorcycles following his Mustang onto the Wolfe property. He had been surprised to enter the Whyte Wyrm and ask to see the Serpents' King, only to be led to his old high school buddy, FP Jones. The man looked a little worse for wear, but years hadn't been too kind on him. His wife had left, taking the younger of their two children with him. And, shortly afterward, his son had moved out, living God knows where, and leaving FP to find solace at the bottom of a bottle. But, Jo had easily convinced the head Serpent that taking a legit job for once would be both good pay and good work. So, after FP had made a few phone calls, Jo had a small demolition crew of about a dozen gangsters. The ones present at the bar had followed him home right away and the rest would be coming straight from the quarry, a popular hangout spot for the younger members.

"Damn, Jo," FP looked the house over from the outside, unhooking his helmet and nudging out the kickstand of his motorcycle with his foot. "That doesn't look too homey."

"You should've seen it a week ago," the former Navy SEAL grumbled. "Ruby and I have done some work and Fred helped out with the roof. It's mostly leak proofed now."

"Fred Andrews?" FP asked.

"The one and only," confirmed Jo. "He got a better job offer, though. It's just us now." FP motioned for the Serpents to follow them into the house and they entered. The inside smelled of slightly stale air, dust and old wood.

"Jesus, you plan on living here?" FP asked, turning in a circle and looking around the living room. There was a sleeping bag tossed over the old couch and there were cobwebs along the tall shelves, filled with pictures, decorative porcelain dinnerware, and other items. They looked like they hadn't been touched in years.

"What can I say?" Jo shrugged. "It's still home," then, he grinned. "Besides, Ruby hasn't gotten to this floor yet. She started on her room and spread like a cleaning tsunami across the upstairs." Laughed the man.

"When will we get to meet this elusive daughter of yours?" FP joked, heading to the fridge like he was at home. And, he felt like he was. In their youth, Jo and FP had hung out at the old Wolfe house a number of times. He still remembered his way around, despite the years that had passed since he'd last stepped inside. FP grabbed a few beers, giving them out to his crew and Jo. The man shook his head at the offer. "Come now, Jo," FP teased. "You work with us, you have to drink with us. Right?" His men chuckled, nodding.

"Maybe when we're done," Jo replied. "Let me see if Ruby's still out. I think she went for a run with Chili. You still know your way around?" He took out his phone, nodding at FP.

"No worries, we'll get started on the crap in the attic, if it's still there?" FP could still remember the old tradition of the Wolfe family. If something broke, they wouldn't fix it or toss it. Instead, great-grandfather Wolfe would demand that they kept it, just in case, in the attic. Hence, the space was mostly filled with broken and unusable items.

"You know it." Jo laughed, placing the phone to his ear.

* * *

Ruby got home after an hour long run in the Fox Forest with Chili. The area was rather nice and the trail was solid, leading her deep into the woods, before looping around a small picnic area with nest swings, teeter-totters and even an old, wooden merry-go-round that you pushed with your legs. Ruby had discovered the place a few days ago, when she'd dared to switch up her usual run along the highway and headed into the woods. These days, it was her favorite afternoon jogging spot. The trees provided a nice shade and there was a small drinking fountain that you had to pump for water in the middle of the area. Chili loved it, too, as he had a chance to chase after more than enough squirrels on the way.

The teen arrived back at the Wolfe property comfortably sore from her run and a bit tired. Her hair clung to her neck with sweat, ponytail messy. She was a bit flushed and honestly looking forward to a shower. However, that would have to wait. After all, there were a dozen motorcycles parked in their driveway and she could see a number of men and boys, looking like they'd just stepped out of a biker bar, moving unusable stuff out of the old house. Most of them had their shirts off, or had stripped down to wife-beaters. There was a lot of chatter in between them, jokes being exchanged as they worked. Jo had called her and told her that the Southside Serpents had accepted the job, but Ruby hadn't been quite prepared for this kind of a scene. She'd expected them to be a bit more intimidating. Maybe blasting hard rock from a speaker as they worked, or something?

"Ruby, right?" Asked one of the tallest men in the yard as he placed down his end of an old bed with broken legs. "Your father's somewhere in the attic, directing traffic." He told her, wiping his forehead and tossing his long hair back with a motion of his head. Chili wandered over, sniffing the man, before continuing to inspect their guests one by one.

"Thanks," Ruby replied with a small smile. "Thanks for helping out, too. We really appreciate it." The man grinned at that.

"We appreciate the work, too," he nodded. Ruby headed inside, waiting in the doorway for two men to take out an old sofa chair, half eaten by moths, before jogging up the stairs. When she reached the second set, however, she was faced with a huge armoire and a colorful curse word.

"Fangs!" A deep voice shouted out from the other side of the armoire, only black hair visible over the top of it. "I swear if you don't come back I'm pushing this thing down the stairs," Ruby wondered for a second if she should help, say anything or go look for this Fangs person. Though, she'd hesitated a second too long. "Alright, man, this one's on you." And the armoire moved towards her like an ominous wooden wall.

"Holy crap!" Ruby squeaked out, quickly jumping up the ten steps to the furniture piece in order to help steer it down the stairs safely. The armoire was made out of heavy wood, though, which instantly made her arms ache and knees buckle as she tried to brace it the best she could. "Woah, woah!" Ruby yelled and the armoire stopped pushing her down the stairs in an instant.

"Toni?" Asked the same gruff voice from above.

"Ruby," the girl poked her head to the left, her arms still hugging the heavy piece of furniture, terrified that it would bulldoze its way over her if she let up. "Hi," she greeted through the narrow space in between the armoire and the wall. Then, a head appeared on the other end, peering at her curiously. The teen was around her age, and fairly handsome in his own, bad boy bike gang member, kind of way. She could see his large hand holding the side of the armoire and her eyes followed it to his strong biceps, before refocusing on his face. Now, it had a frown on it.

"Who're you?" He asked rudely, making Ruby return the expression.

"Ruby Wolfe," she shot back in a similar tone, making him startle, eyebrow raising. "Free citizen and resident of this house. Definitely not Toni _or_  Fangs." At that, the boy laughed in a deep sound which made her stomach do a flip. He was  _hot_. And, unfortunately for her, Ruby had inherited her father's suave ways around attractive people, coupled with her mother's sass. She  _knew_  that smartass word vomit would be coming from her mouth without her say so. "Now, I'm tiny, and extremely aware of that fact. But, I'll try and help get this monstrosity down the stairs." The boy's face contorted before he burst into another bout of laughter.

"Alright," he agreed. "Let's switch, I'll brace it better." The boy shifted the armoire once, and then another time, making it stand in an awkward position on the stairs, the narrow space on the side a bit wider.

"Okay, we've got this." Ruby agreed, slowly letting go of the heavy piece. It was standing still. She slipped into the crack on the left, going up the stairs sideways. Halfway up she was met with resistance, though. The boy had apparently had the same idea, making them a bit stuck in the narrow space. Ruby looked up, and not just because he was a step above her. The teen was a fricking giant, towering with at least two heads over her. But, damn, was he a sight for sore eyes. Stripped into a grey wife-beater and dark jeans, his red and black plaid shirt tied around his waist and hair slightly damp from the workout. His dark eyes were curiously looking her over. "I'll just," Ruby began, motioning with her hands before trying to squeeze past his front. "Yeah, like that," she didn't pay much attention to how that could've sounded to an unsuspecting passerby as her chest pressed against the boy's toned stomach while she attempted to squeeze by him. "Sorry," his hands went up, bracing against the armoire and making it shift and sway, sliding off a step with a loud sound.

"Shit." He grabbed onto it, pushing his weight forward and trapping the armoire against the wall and Ruby against it, his toned body like an iron fence.

"Crap, sorry," Ruby looked up, her hands flailing at her sides. They were in an awkward, hug-like position, pressed against one another, locking eyes. "Since we're going to be cozy for a while, I'm Ruby." His eyebrow rose in a perfect motion that made her mouth water.

"Yeah, you mentioned that," his voice was a low grumble, almost a whisper. "I'm Sweet Pea." At that, she lost it, dissolving in a fit of giggles.

"Seriously?" She asked, trying to gather herself, but she was still shaking with laughter. The armoire shifted again, making Sweet Pea curse once more, pressing even further into her. "Sorry. Do they call you Sweets or Pea?" She couldn't stop her mouth.

"They call me Sweet Pea." He told her with finality in his voice.

"They call  _me_  awesome." Ruby shot right back, their eyes locking for a second, before both started laughing. The armoire shifted ominously again.

"Damnit." Sweet Pea pushed his forearm against the length of the top part, managing to brace the wooden piece before it could fly down the stairs. "Fangs!" He yelled out over Ruby's head. They waited for a few more tense seconds, still pressed against each other. Ruby shifted a bit, causing Sweet Pea to gasp and move his hips back. But, it had been too late. She'd noticed his issue. Her eyes met his and her lip quirked up.

"I'm flattered." She cheekily told him.

"It's a natural reaction, ankle biter." Sweet Pea shot back with a straight face, but she could still see his cheeks redden due to their close proximity.

"Hah," the girl huffed. "I'm anything but!"

"Alright, short stack, no need to get defensive."

"Oh, shut up you sasquatch!" Ruby tilted her head back, yelling. "Fangs!" Sweet Pea lost his cool again, dissolving into laughter.

"It's not nice to call out another guy's name when we're so cozy, tater tot." He pressed himself forward again, hips meeting her stomach and showing her that he was very much enjoying the moment. Ruby couldn't help the gasp that left her mouth.

"Would you stop with the crappy nicknames, cheese king?" She hissed. "Fangs!" She yelled out again, but there was no reply. Sweet Pea was shaking with laughter, making Ruby finally snap. "You know what? We've got this." She told him. And, before he could stop her, Ruby wriggled to her right, slipping from under him and hurrying up the stairs once she was free of his hard body. The armoire shifted as she practically gave it a hug from above, moving it away from the wall and settling it down from its titled position, Sweet Pea steering from the side.

"We good?" He asked, waiting for a second while gripping the top of the wooden piece as hard as he could.

"I am if you are." Ruby answered from the top. Then, Sweet Pea slowly let go of the top and hurried down the stairs, careful not to touch the huge piece. When he got to the bottom and grasped it, he braced it with a knee.

"Alright, let's do this, shortcake." The push she gave from the top of the stairs almost knocked him over.

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Sweet Pea and Ruby managed to get the armoire not only down the remaining stairs, but also through the hallway and down the next set of steps with minimal bruising on their fingers and the boy's side. The drawers and decorated doors of the piece didn't close well and swung wide whenever the armoire leaned to the side. The first time they realized that problem, Sweet Pea had almost dropped the wooden piece, hissing out a loud curse when a drawer 'bit' his fingers. However, now that the armoire was on the ground floor, Southside Serpents buzzing all around them, they had a few extra hands to help out.

The tall man who'd spoken to Ruby in the driveway had called over three more people and they managed to heft the armoire up and out the front door, right next to the ruined sofa chair. Ruby brushed her hands off, before pushing the stray hair from her forehead with the back of her hand.

"Well, that was wild," she commented with a small chuckle, making the men laugh. "I'm going to head up, if you guys have it covered here?"

"Go ahead." The tall man dismissed her and Ruby ran back to the house, taking two steps at a time. She passed two other teenagers in the entrance hall, a girl with dyed hair and a muscular boy with a wide grin on his face. They were carrying some kind of an old antenna, completely rusted.

"Fangs!" Sweet Pea's unforgettable tone rang out when he spotted them, too. So, that was Fangs, Ruby mused, sparing another look at the boy's back. "Where did you go, man? You left me with that monstrosity on the stairs!" Ruby didn't hear the reply as she was already hurrying up the stairs and soon, entering the attic.

It was like a war zone there. Men hauling things from one side to the other, checking what could be used, repaired or repurposed, before sending the useless things down the stairs. She saw her father easily enough, by the window all the way in the back, looking over every item and directing the Serpents what to do with them.

"Dad, hey," Ruby came over, moving out of the way for an old TV to pass. "Where do you need me?"

"Hey, hun," Jo greeted, looking up at her. "FP, Ruby," he introduced to the man standing next to him. "Ruby, FP Jones, the most badass Serpent in here." There were a couple of groans and muted complaints, followed by laughter, coming from the crowd around them.

"It's nice to finally meet you," FP said, offering his hand, before pulling it back and wiping it on his slacks and then extending it again. It was still covered in dust, though. "Gosh, you're the spitting image of your father. Except those eyes." Ruby shook his hand, the strong grip and callouses making her feel right at home.

"Yeah, I have my mom's eyes," she nodded with a smile. "Don't worry about the muck, by the way. I'm in the same boat." She showed him the front of her, previously white, spaghetti strap shirt. It was now covered in dust from the armoire she'd battled earlier.

"Still, you're a girl," FP gave her a smile with a twinkle in his eye. "Gotta be courteous." Laughter rang out from the crowd in the attic again.

"Kiddo, can you get us some food?" Jo asked, directing one of the Serpents to toss some old binders filled with rain-ruined papers.

"The boys downstairs can give you a ride to Pop's, if you want?" FP piped up. "Just ask for Sweet Pea and tell him that I said to take you."

"Oh, we've met." Ruby replied with a nod.

"Oh?" FP frowned. "He didn't get smart with you, did he?"

"I was smart right back, no worries," she grinned, making her father burst into laughter and FP break into a smile. "Alright, any preferences?"

"Food." Most of the Serpents grumbled in agreement. Ruby nodded and bounded off, heading down the stairs. She didn't even think to change her shirt before she found Sweet Pea again.

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**Now, I'm super curious to hear what you guys thought of this one :D Let me know!**

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**My thanks goes out to everyone who left kudos or bookmarked! Also, dear Vulvarity who keeps me in check when I go crazy with my haphazard writing :D**

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**Tell me how you liked it :D**


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